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Arsenal v Monaco – Champions League Stats and Form

Arsenal host AS Monaco at the Emirates tonight in the first leg of their Champions League last 16 match-up. After exits from the competition at this stage in their previous four seasons against the likes of Barcelona, AC Milan and Bayern Munich and with the disadvantage of playing away in the second leg the pressure is on the London club to make it to the quarter-finals for the first time in five years.

Our friends at Opta powered fantasy football game www.oulala.com returned to the group stages with their detailed analysis to see how both sides fared going into the knockout phase.
Despite Monaco winning Group C and Arsenal finishing as runners-up in Group D it is the English side that racked up more points (13 to 11) and excelled during the group phase.

With Arsenal’s 15 goals compared to the disappointing 4 from Monaco, it’s clear which side had the superior firepower. Arsenal also unsurprisingly led for total shots (70 to 56), shot accuracy (48% to 36%) and chances created (49 to 32).

Arsene Wenger’s side also shone for pass completion (85% to 74%) and possession (54.6% to 44.4%).

The only criteria that Monaco did better than Arsenal at was goals conceded, just 1 goal to Arsenal’s 8. An impressive total of 5 clean sheets from their 6 group stage matches. Monaco were in-fact the side that conceded the fewest goals of all 32 teams competing in the group stages.

With the free-scoring Arsenal up against the seemingly unbreakable defensive unit of Monaco, the strategic battle should be truly fascinating…

I did not pick Ozil as Monoco would be very physical and would play on sit back and counter strategy. A game not suited for Ozil but perfect setting for Walcott. Also Rosicky is a bull going forward or while defending. So he will provide that extra solidity in the middle. I know it will be a big call as Ozil is in great form. But calls like this is what wins you matches like this. Lets see what Wenger has in mind!!

Nice team…although I’d play Ozil.
Watching Barcelona last night away from home brought home what quality they have.

They have a strike force to make anyone cack their underpants..and use attack as the best form of defense (and keeping the ball) brilliantly. Only when Enrique lost the plot and reshuffled the team to be more defensive and protect their lead did they
Loose the initiative and invite Man City.

So, we are at home, and have a pretty good strike force ourselves so why not go for the throat (whilst being conscious of the threat of a speedy counter attack)?

Let’s try to keep the ball (Danny are you reading?) , not conceed and go for it by playing direct attacking football from a solid defense and supporting and creative midfield.

Yes. It’s the stat. at the end of 90 minutes that will matter not that of the past. It is not group stage. Let our players be focused on the game and they will be no match, but underate them, we will be in trouble. This the type of match is for Ozil and the likes. No physicality and their defence will go back to drawing board after today. Am I over confidence? No. Because if our players turn up, we will be through today. A win with a good score wether ugly or not. Am not neutral, leave good game for the neutrals. Am a fan and a good score win is what I want.

Monaco are just another Crystal Palace. They’ll park the team bus in front of goal and chance a counter-attack when it looks safe.

Reminds me of a cricket player deciding to make a run before a fielder can intercept the ball. They defend like their life depends on it and on the away fixture they’ll get away with fouls and dangerous tackles. We are going to get a long term casualty in the game at their ground. Tonight we will cruise the whole game.

I cannot imagine them scoring tonight.

Wenger having taken Monaco into the final when he managed the team might galvanise Monaco to over perform, but I doubt it.

Having ex-Spurs heroes against us is always a danger. Berbatov knows he can get a salute from Seven Sisters if he snipers us.

Are you for real? Crystal Palace never parked no bus, to be honest it’s us who did out of the 2 teams.. They absolutely dominated us from minute 1 to 90 and theywere unlucky not to get a draw at least.

For the last 5 or so seasons we have been making excuses about unlucky draws, we played Barcelona twice and then played Bayern twice.

Now we have got a more than pleasant draw let’s take advantage. I know there are no easy teams in the last 16, but if we can’t progress againt Monaco then we are a complete joke and deserve being made fun of by rival fans. This is not Barcelona, Real, Bayern or PSG, let’s show for the first time since 2006 that we are not CL bottlers and are not in the CL to just make up numbers..

Buzzing for tonight can’t come quick enough !! Weird feeling not having to face Barca or Bayern lol. Hopefully we can break there defence down early and have a good night. Be a tough match but should be able to win with fingers crossed ‘a clean sheet’ my prediction 2-0 to the Arsenal c’monnnnn……!!

A selection problem for the boss when all Gunners are available for selection save Jack Wilshere? Nevertheless, I think the boss MUST start his top pacy Gunners to blast through the defenses of the Red and Whites of Monaco FC to turn them to ashes. Szczesny’s height advantage should be considered by the boss for this game. MY BLASTING GUNNERS STARTS: Szczesny. BellerinDe-AbreuKoscielnyGibbs. CoquelinFlamini. WalcottCazorlaOzil. WelbeckGiroud. I believe the boss has played a 4-2-3-2 style before. If he hasn’t he shouldn’t bother on playing it against Monaco today. The style is a killer start that can more than blast through the Monaco FC starting X1 by AFC 3-0 MFC FT 90” +. The boss should please consider my 4-2-3-2 playing style for our CL game at Emirates stadium tonight. And he should please also start only the Gunners that are pacy.